In my last post I explained how Kashmir is a small area of J&K, holding the whole state and region to ransom. I explained that Kashmir valley is about 6,000 square miles in area. It is indisputable that Muslims are a majority in J&K, but the separatist Muslims are concentrated in a fraction of the state — the Kashmir valley. The figure of 7% area was calculated based on the following information obtained from the Jammu and Kashmir page on Wikipedia:

I realized that the Wikipedia page does not give the length of the valley. However, using the above mentioned area, it seems the Wikipedia user who wrote the above assumed a length of about 100 miles. I generally trust the information on Wikipedia, but in this case it seems someone got too enthusiastic, unless the following data given on the BBC News page on Kashmir’s “future” is incorrect. The BBC News site discusses various scenarios of Kashmir’s future on its page, and its Scenario Six matches what I was talking about on my last post. The site says:

With an approximate land mass of 1,800 square miles (80 miles long, 20 to 25 miles wide) it is much larger than Monaco and Liechtenstein – but only one-tenth of the size of Bhutan.

There must be something wrong with the figures on BBC site, which makes the area of the valley only 2.1% of the state’s total area of 86,000 square miles. Tell me about a storm in a teacup!

Don’t get me wrong. I am not advocating Kashmir’s secession from India. I just want to tell the separatists that such a small size of land would be untenable as a country. With some Kashmiri leaders already talking about accession to Pakistan, and Pakistan waiting in the wings, you could be out of the frying pan into the fire. Also read the UNHCR report on Pakistan’s Human Rights Violations in so-called “Azad Kashmir”. A quote:

In the first seventy-two hours after the earthquake, thousands of Pakistani troops stationed in Azad Kashmir prioritized the evacuation of their own personnel over providing relief to desperate civilians. The international media began converging on Muzaffarabad within twenty-four hours of the earthquake and fanned out to other towns in Azad Kashmir shortly thereafter. They filmed Pakistani troops standing by and refusing to help because they had “no orders” to do so as locals attempted to dig out those still alive, sending a chilling message of indifference from Islamabad. Having filmed the refusal, journalists switched off their cameras and joined the rescue effort themselves; in one instance they shamed the soldiers into helping. But unlike the death and destruction, the media were not everywhere. The death toll continued to mount.

Now, this is UNHCR, not some Indian propaganda. Ready for some “azadi”, guys?

Thanks for bringing the facts forward.
If any Kashmiri wants “their” Kashmir to be part of Pakistan, they need to consider following facts:
1. Look at the amount of progress in India and compare it to Pakistan.
2. Look at the democracy, judiciary and all other components working beautifully in India versus military coup every other season.
3. Pakistan in one of most corrupt country in world.
4. They cant provide for their citizens hence begging whole world to provide support. We didnt go begging anywhere when Tsunami hit Indian shores.
5. Their citizens are bombarded with drones each day and Pakistan govt is providing support and air space for these bombings. How can a govt support bombings of its citizens People wanting to commit suicide would prefer to become its citizens.
6. Indian army is always there to save the citizens whether the attack is from foreign soldiers or terrorists.
7. India is self sufficient country, developing and is focus of financial analysts all over the world.
8. CNBC has special sections on India.
9. Only time Pakistan is in news, its either for help, or terrorist attacks or something related to religion. Have you ever heard Pakistan in news for any achievement ?
10. India as a democracy and as a country a functional unit.
I can go on forever and ever as the list is too long. In any case, if anyone wants to become part of Pakistan, they should be allowed to go and live in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. But not allowed to come back as once they realize that “hell” exists, they need to stay in it.

1) Kashmiri wants Islamic State and do not bother about world pleasures and economic progress.
2) Kashmiri wants Sharia, Mulla and Shura, not democracy
3) Begging, Kashmiri and Muslims take that as collecting jigya from Non-Muslims.
4) Kashmiri take that as wars b/w Muslims and Kafir.
5) Indian Army is still a kafir army. Terrorist are Muslims brothers.
6) Pakistan is also where true Islam is? Pakistani allows forced conversion, rape and murder of Kafirs.
7) Living with Kafir is hell for Kashmiri Muslims. Muslims wont this land after forced conversion. Once you become Muslims you are part of Umma.

This is so true brothers,It always seems to be a promising and enlightened future with India. And we the people of Jammu province have already aligned and in fact proved themselves as pure & true Indians. For instance, The Amarnath land issue,where the brothers of brothers,The Dogra’s; had proved to be hardliner Indians… The separatists exist in the valley. They have not understood the value of Democracy and still want to merge with the so called Monarchist state called Pakistan. We all are aware about the history of Pakistan and how military has ruled that state. In fact in the disguise of Democracy;they are operating as a Pro-terrorists and the base of world terrorism.
Lets not forget the spirit of The Great Dogras(refer to the page called “Dogra’s”in Wikipedia)and carry on the valor and Pride of our race. We have produced the leaders in every domain across the globe.I want all Dogras to read the page called Dogra’s on Wikipedia,which describes the way our great ancestors were and what we are today..
Spare some time and toggle to the page..You will be a Proud Dogra..!!

Please keep writing such illuminating articles. Some thing that NewDelhi has consistently refrained from doing and which has cost Indian diplomacy eggs all over the place, is the failure to ensure that Kashmiri Pandits, Ladakhis and the Dogras and Sikhs of Jammu form an integral part of any dialogue process on J&K. Perhaps, politics and vested interests exist on both sides of the border.

Dear mr.Kaul
Thank you for the writeups on kashmir which give some perspective on the place of kashmir in J&K state.It is a much needed perspective.There is no boubt that had not the area become muslim-dominated , we would not have to face the separatist,terrorist problem now.It is like a big bleeding wound which is costing the nation money,energies and what not.

Kanvamur said “Some thing that NewDelhi has consistently refrained from doing and which has cost Indian diplomacy eggs all over the place, is the failure to ensure that Kashmiri Pandits, Ladakhis and the Dogras and Sikhs of Jammu form an integral part of any dialogue process on J&K.”

Perhaps the Indian government knows well that the more people that get pulled into this mess, the more lives are going to be disrupted and endangered. Right now, Ladakh is doing well. So is Jammu. In spite of a rather apathy stricken government, their lives can go on. The more they are pushed into the limelight, the more they will be attacked, pressured… Also the more area for the government to start securing?

If there is anything approaching a final decision, of course all these people will be a part of it. Honestly, whether Jammu becomes a state or not, or Ladakh becomes a UT or not, I don’t see how either region can go to Pakistan anyway. What is the point increasing the number of people that the separatists hold in limbo? The separatist efforts being backed by “foreign elements”, it isn’t like adding natural citizens to the mess is going to be able to silence the dissent in Kashmir. Only the Kashmiris can do that.